The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus.
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus is configured to be able to implement printing and copying processes, for example, while selecting a monochrome image, a grayscale image, a color image or the like. In companies and schools holding a large number of sections and users, a large amount of developers, such as a toner and an ink, is consumed by a common image forming apparatus. Then, it is demanded to be able to cut a developer consumption amount of such image forming apparatus.
For instance, there is proposed an image printing method achieving the cut of the ink consumption amount of the printer by processing data stream and print command stream such that a number of dots printed by the printer is reduced.
As the developers of the image forming apparatus, a plurality of colors, e.g., magenta, cyan, yellow and black, are prepared. Then, there are many cases when the developer of a specific color is more often used and the plurality of colors is not evenly consumed in the image forming apparatus. However, the conventional image forming apparatus is unable to manage the consumption of the developer for each color.
Still further, in a case where a large number of users or sections use the common image forming apparatus, a specific user or section may excessively use the developer of a specific color. Then, the uneven use of the developers of the plurality of color becomes remarkable, possibly causing such a situation in which the other users and sections are unable to user the image forming apparatus.
If the developers of the plurality of colors are unevenly used, it takes a time to replenish the developers and to maintain the developing unit in terms of management of the common image forming apparatus. Still further, because it is difficult to supervise amounts of the developers used by the respective users and sections, it is unable to make even among the users and sections even if developer consumption costs varies.